According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang announced that it had launched the Malligyong-1 spy satellite, mounted on a new type of rocket called Chollima-1, but an error occurred during the third stage of launch.

KCNA said the North Korean National Aerospace Administration plans to investigate the cause of the emergency detonation system failure. Pyongyang will once again aim to put a satellite into orbit in October.

A North Korean missile launch. Photo: REUTERS

The August 24 launch, conducted at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, came about three months after North Korea's first spy satellite launch ended in failure in late May.

Earlier, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said on the same day that it had detected the launch of a flying object, which Seoul called a space launch vehicle, from North Korea's Tongchang-ri area at 3:50 a.m. on August 24 (local time). The flying object flew over international waters west of Ieodo, 149 km southwest of Jeju Island.

North Korea's satellite launch took place in the context of the Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise conducted by the South Korean and US militaries that began on August 22. North Korea has repeatedly criticized this exercise as a military provocation.

VNA

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